1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibrating apparatus and a simulator apparatus using the vibrating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A simulator apparatus, for example, a driving simulation device comprises a simulated driving room 120 inclined and moved by a motion system 130 provided on a floor plane 12 in a building 10, a display system 110 for displaying a virtual view situation and the like as schematically shown in FIG. 9.
The display system 110 includes a projector 111 installed on the upper part of the building 10 behind the simulated driving room 120, and a screen 112 for provided in the building 10 ahead of the simulated driving room 120 for projecting a picture emitted from the projector 111.
The simulated driving room 120 is formed by imitation of a real car body, for example, and includes a simulated operating device such as a seat, a steering wheel device and the like which are modeled after a real car such that a user can get on and off from a door (not shown).
The motion system 130 has a plurality of actuators 140, each of which has both ends movably supported between a base table 131 fixed to the floor plane of the building 10 and a motion table 132 supporting the simulated operating room 120, and serves to give various motions to the simulated operating room 120 fixed and supported on the motion table 132 by selectively extending or retracting each actuator 140 and to give vibrations to the simulated operating room 120 by means of a vibration generating device (not shown) provided in the simulated operating room 120.
The actuator 140 of the motion device 130 has a first universal joint 141 fixed to the base table 131 and a second universal joint 142 fixed to the motion table 132, for example, as shown in FIG. 6. An extension/retraction unit 144 is provided between the first universal joint 141 and the second universal joint 142.
The extension/retraction unit 144 is formed by a ball screw mechanism including a screw shaft 146 having a base end rotatably supported, through a bearing 145, on a casing 143 provided in the first universal joint 141, a cylindrical sleeve 147 having a base end provided in the second universal joint 142, and a ball 148 fitted between a spiral ball groove 146a formed on the outer periphery of the screw shaft 146 and a spiral ball groove 147a formed on the inner periphery of the tip of the sleeve 147.
The casing 143 provided in the first universal joint 141 installs and supports an electric motor 150 which is rotatable in normal and reverse directions and has a rotator 151 provided in parallel with the screw shaft 146, and accommodates a power transmission mechanism 155 for transmitting power from the electric motor 150 to the screw shaft 146.
The power transmission mechanism 155 comprises a driving gear 156 fixed to the rotator 151 of the electric motor 150, a driven gear 157 fixed to the base end of the screw shaft 146, and a reduction gear 158 rotatably supported on the casing 143 by means of a support device (not shown) and provided between the drive gear 156 and the driven gear 157 as shown in FIG. 6C taken along the line bxe2x80x94b of FIG. 6A.
By the rotation of the electric motor 150 in the normal or reverse direction, the screw shaft 146 is rotated in the normal or reverse direction with a speed reduction according to the parameters of gears through the driving gear 156, reduction gear 158 and driven gear 157 of the power transmission mechanism 155. Consequently, the sleeve 147 screwed with the ball grooves 146a and 147a and the ball 148 is moved so that the screw shaft 146 is retracted and extended in a retracted position shown in FIG. 6A and an extended position shown in FIG. 6B.
FIG. 7 shows the actuator 140 according to another aspect. Corresponding portions in FIG. 7 have the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 6 and their detailed description will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 7C taken along the line cxe2x80x94c of FIG. 7A, the power transmission mechanism 155 comprises a driving sprocket 159 fixed to the rotator 151 of the electric motor 150, a driven sprocket 160 fixed to the base end of the screw shaft 146, and a cog belt 161 wound between the driving sprocket 159 and the driven sprocket 160.
By the rotation of the electric motor 150 in the normal or reverse direction, the screw shaft 146 is rotated in the normal or reverse direction with a speed reduction according to the parameters of gears of the driving sprocket 159 and the driven sprocket 160 through the driving sprocket 159, the cog belt 161 and driven sprocket 160 of the power transmission mechanism 155. Consequently, the screw shaft 146 is retracted and extended in a retracted position shown in FIG. 7A and an extended position shown in FIG. 7B.
FIG. 8 shows the actuator 140 according to yet another aspect. While corresponding portions in FIG. 8 have the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 6 and their detailed description will be omitted, the actuator 140 forms the screw shaft 146 integrally with the rotator 151 of the electric motor 150, thereby removing the power transmission mechanism 151.
By the rotation of the electric motor 150 in the normal or reverse direction, the screw shaft 146 is rotated in the normal or reverse direction. Consequently, the screw shaft 146 is retracted and extended in a retracted position shown in FIG. 8A and an extended position shown in FIG. 8B.
By selectively extending or retracting the actuators 140 provided between the base table 131 and the support table 132, the motion system 130 can give various motions to the simulated driving room 120 installed and supported on the support table 132 of the simulated driving room.
In the actuator 140 shown in FIG. 6, however, the power transmission mechanism 155 comprising the driving gear 156, the reduction gear 158, the driven gear 157, the support device for supporting the reduction gear 158 on the casing 143 and the like is provided between the base end of the screw shaft 146 and the electric motor 150. Therefore, the actuator 140 has a complicated structure. In addition, the amount of movement of the sleeve 147 screwed to the screw shaft 146 by the power transmission mechanism 155 provided on the base end of the screw shaft 146 is limited so that the actuator 140 cannot be fully retracted. Furthermore, since the electric motor 150 is biased against the screw shaft 146, the tilt angle of the actuator 140 to the base table 131 is limited so that the degree of freedom of design is restricted.
As a result, the height h of the motion system 130 shown in FIG. 9 is increased so that the simulated driving room 120 is provided in a comparatively high position. In order to project a picture emitted from the projector 111 installed on the upper part of the building 10 behind the simulated driving room 120 without the influence of the simulated driving room 120 on the screen 112 provided on the simulated driving room 120, therefore, it is necessary to place the projector 111 in a high position. Consequently, the size of the building 10 is increased.
In order to avoid the influence of the simulated driving room 120 by reducing the size of the building 10 and placing the projector 111 in a comparatively low position, there has been a method for moving upward the lower end of the screen 112 on which a picture is projected, thereby reducing the size of the screen 112. However, the size of the picture such as a road, a circumferential landscape and the like which are projected on the screen 112 during virtual running, in particular, a vertical range is limited. Consequently, it is hard to sufficiently give virtual reality to a user in the simulated driving room 120.
Moreover, the amount of retraction of the actuator 140 is limited. Therefore, the simulated driving room 120 is placed in a comparatively high position when the simulated driving room 120 is lowered to the lowest position. Consequently, there is a possibility that the user might be prevented from getting on and off the simulated driving room 120.
Also in the actuator 140 shown in FIG. 7, the power transmission mechanism 155 comprising the driving sprocket 159, the driven sprocket 160, the cog belt 161 and the like is provided between the base end of the screw shaft 146 and the electric motor 150. Therefore, the actuator 140 has a complicated structure. The amount of movement of the sleeve 147 screwed to the screw shaft 146 by the power transmission mechanism 155 provided on the base end of the screw shaft 146 is limited so that the actuator 140 cannot be fully retracted. Furthermore, since the electric motor 150 is biased against the screw shaft 146, the tilt angle of the actuator 140 to the base table 131 is limited so that the degree of freedom of design is restricted. As a result, there are the same drawbacks as in the actuator 140 shown in FIG. 6.
According to the actuator 140 shown in FIG. 8, the rotator of the electric motor 150 and the screw shaft 146 are formed integrally. Therefore, the power transmission mechanism 155 is removed so that the structure can be simplified. In addition, the restriction on the tilt angle of the actuator 140 to the base table 131 can be relieved.
However, the electric motor 150 is provided between the screw shaft 146 and the first universal joint 141 and the amount of movement of the sleeve 147 screwed to the screw shaft 146 is restricted by the electric motor 150. Consequently, the actuator 140 cannot be fully retracted. Thus, there are the same drawbacks as in the actuators of FIGS. 6 and 7.
In consideration of the above-mentioned respect, accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vibrating apparatus capable of fully retracting an actuator to control a height between a base table and a motion table, and a simulator apparatus using the vibrating apparatus.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a vibrating apparatus according to a first aspect of the invention, in which a plurality of actuators are provided between a base table and a motion table which are installed on installation parts, each of the actuators being selectively extended and retracted to give motions to the moved portion supported on the motion table, each of the actuators comprising a screw shaft having a base end provided on one of the base table and the motion table through a universal joint and having a spiral groove formed on an outer periphery, and an electric motor including a rotator which has a base fixed to the other base table or motion table through a universal joint and which is hollow shaft-shaped to permit penetration of the screw shaft and has a spiral groove formed on an inner periphery, the spiral groove being screwed to the spiral groove of the screw shaft.
According to the first aspect of the invention, each actuator provided between the base table and the motion table is formed by the screw shaft having the base end provided on one of the base table and the motion table through the universal joint, and the electric motor including the rotator having the base fixed to the other base table or motion table through the universal joint and taking the shape of a hollow shaft for permitting the penetration of the screw shaft and screwed to the screw shaft. Therefore, the screw shaft is caused to penetrate the rotator of the electric motor in the retraction state. Consequently, the height between the base table and the motion table can be reduced while keeping a motion range.
In the vibrating apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, the spiral grooves formed on the outer periphery of the screw shaft and the inner periphery of the rotator are spiral ball grooves which are screwed through balls fitted in respective grooves.
According to the invention of this embodiment, the screw shaft is coupled to the rotator by means of the so-called ball screw mechanism in which the spiral grooves formed on the outer periphery of the screw shaft and on the inner periphery of the rotator are spiral ball grooves to be screwed through a ball. Consequently, the relative movement of the screw shaft and the rotator can be performed smoothly. Thus, the vibrating apparatus can be smoothly operated.
In the vibrating apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, the electric motor is fixed to the base table through the universal joint, and the screw shaft is fixed to the motion table through the universal joint.
According to the invention of this embodiment, the electric motor having a comparatively great mass is provided on the base table through the universal joint. Consequently, the motion range of the electric motor is controlled so that the influence on the operation of the vibrating apparatus caused by the motion of the electric motor can be relieved.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a simulator apparatus using the vibrating apparatus according to a second aspect of the invention, comprising a vibrating apparatus in which a plurality of actuators are provided between a base table provided on a floor plane of a building and a motion table supporting a moved portion, each of the actuators is selectively extended and retracted to give motions to the moved portion supported on the motion table, and a display system having s projector opposed to the vibrating apparatus apart therefrom, and a screen for projecting a picture emitted from the projectors, each of the actuators including a screw shaft having a base end provided on one of the base table and the motion table through a universal joint and having a spiral groove formed on an outer periphery, and an electric motor including a rotator which has a base fixed to the other base table or motion table through a universal joint and which is hollow shaft-shaped to permit penetration of the screw shaft and has a spiral groove formed on an inner periphery, the spiral groove being screwed to the spiral groove of the screw shaft.
According to the invention of the second aspect of the invention, the height between the base table of the vibrating apparatus and the motion table can be reduced in the same manner as in the first aspect of the invention, and the height of the moved portion supported on the motion table can be controlled. Thus, projection from the projector to the screen can be easily performed without increasing the size of the building.
In the simulator apparatus using the vibrating apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention, the moved portion is a simulated driving room where a user can get on and off.
According to the invention of this embodiment, in the case where the moved portion is the simulated driving room where the user can get on and off, the simulated driving room is provided in a lower position so that the user can easily get on and off the simulated driving room.
In the simulator apparatus using the vibrating apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention, the projector is provided above the moved portion.
According to the invention of this embodiment, since the moved portion is provided in a comparatively low position, the range of projection from the projector to the screen can be enlarged so that a virtual reality can be given to the user of the simulator apparatus. In addition, the vertical position of the projector can be set comparatively low so that the height of the building can be controlled, thereby reducing the size of the building.